Bathed in white, this elegant living room with its grand coffee table and antique chairs is also comfortably livable—just take a look at the subtle mantel or have a seat on the full sofa. “You need a bit of everything – high, low, beautiful, homely, grand, and always a little something to make you laugh,” says homeowner and designer Collette Van Den Thillart.

Beautiful and understated, this mantel not only looks good in the living room, but as a part of Healthy Home 2010 it’s also good for the environment. It was made locally from a felled walnut tree and finished with a natural lacquer derived from tree sap.

A custom fireplace surround and mantel work effortlessly with the “Contessa Chinois” tiles from Walker Zanger. In front of the fireplace, a vintage bench reupholstered in a silver metallic snakeskin adds a bit of bling.